Method of forming a decorative article

ABSTRACT

A method of making a decorative article which includes subjecting a flowable coating material to the force of an explosion (e.g., firecracker), which force projects the coating material onto a substrate in a random decorative pattern.

IJnited States Patent [72] Inventor Robert W. Presley R.F.D. l, Makanda, 111. 62958 [2]] Appl. No. 806,127 [22] Filed Mar. 11, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 2, 1971 [54] METHOD OF FORMING A DECORATIVE ARTICLE 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S.Cl 117/37R [51] Int. Cl 844d l/12, 844d 1/02 [50] Field otSearch 117/37. 95; 102/37, 37.2, 37.6; 118/506 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,386 5/1952 l-lumphreys 117/37 Comic Strip- Belvedere in Washington Daily News, August 27. 1970, pg. 53

Primary Examiner-Alfred L. Leavitt Assistant Examiner-M. F. Esposito Attorney- Brady, O'Boyle & Gates ABSTRACT: A method of making a decorative article which includes subjecting a flowable coating material to the force of an explosion (e.g., firecracker), which force projects the coating material onto a substrate in a random decorative pattern.

PATENTEUnnva I9?! INVENIOH ROBERT w. PRESLEY ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A demand exists today for decorative articles in the home and in commercial establishments, such as restaurants, motels and office building lobbies, which are attractive to the eye, colorful and, most importantly, have the appearance of individuality and originality.

To produce an original decorator panel, painting or tapestry-type wall covering by hand methods is extremely costly and simply is not practical on a large scale commercial basis. The invention makes it entirely practical and economical to produce these articles on a commercial basis for home usage and for usage in various commercial environments without loss of individuality or the appearance of originality for each article. For example, in a restaurant, hotel lobby or the like, an entire wall area could be colorfully decorated in an extremely short period of time, and very economically, by the techniques of the invention, and each decorative module thus produced would appear to the eye as an original design, distinct from every other design module, no matter how many.

The invention has equal utility for the creation of modern art items for use in the finest homes. For example, an infinite number of unique, individual and apparently original" oiltype paintings can be easily produced through the invention method at very low cost and involving only the most elemental equipment, such as a framed canvas or art board, a simple support, an explosive device such as an ordinary firecracker, and a quantity of commercial artists oil paint.

Outside of the artistic and decorator fields, the invention finds utility as an amusement or entertainment device for children or adults, such as in amusement parks and carnivals. In this connection, it is felt that the invention is more appealing than the very popular spin" painting, now widely employed as an amusement. A child or adult for a small fee could roduce his or her own unique and original painting and preserve it indefinitely.

The process is applicable to articles or substrates having surfaces other than fiat surfaces and including curved or irregular surfaces. However, it is believed that the greatest utility of the invention is to be found in the production of fiat decorative panels of any size and in the production of individual paintings. Commercial coloring matter may be em ployed and artist's oil paints are ideally suited to the invention. The coloring material'should have a pasty or greasy semisolid consistency with some ability to flow. Coloring material in conglomerate form is employed. Water coloring material and material containing ground crayon or other finely divided particulate pigment in a suitable semisolid vehicle may be utilized. In any event, the coloring medium must be compatible with the explosive means used to disperse and project the coloring material onto the substrate with relatively great force and this is the essential feature of the invention which distinguishes it from the prior art and produces vastly different and improved results with endless variations.

On a commercial basis, for producing large architectural decorative paneling, a machine is visualized for the practice of the invention method. With such a machine, the explosive device and associated coloring material could be moved automatically with respect to a large panel to produce any number of individually unique design patterns thereon in a predetermined pattern of spacing.

The above summary provides a limited explanation of the wide utility, versatility and economy of the invention. No special skill is required to practice the invention with complete success. Many other applications and adaptations of the invention are thought to be possible and the following detailed description will serve to clarify certain other features, objects and advantages of the invention which are inherent therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating a most simplified and elemental apparatus embodiment used in the practice of the method of producing a painting."

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of an explosive element, coloring material and an adjustable support member.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the structure in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partly diagrammatic elevational view of the invention depicting the explosion step.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an article embodying the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral 10 designates an ordinary artist's canvas having a marginal frame 11 with the canvas facing downwardly relative to an underlying table or supporting surface 12. In lieu of the canvas 10, any form of art board, wood, wall board, or the like, may be employed as a substrate. As a matter of fact, the invention process is applicable to almost any article which it is desired to decorate, although certain materials by their texture lend themselves to the invention technique more ideally than others. The arrangement in FIG. 1 is merely a single simplified illustration of the invention.

As shown in FIG. I, the canvas or substrate 10 is supported on rails 13 arranged as close as possible to opposite edges of the canvas so that the maximum area of the substrate will be available for decorating. The height of the supporting rails 13 above the table 12 is not extremely critical and will vary somewhat in accordance with the size of the substrate, the amount of coloring material employed and the size of the explosive charge. Typically, the rails 13 may be approximately 6 to 10 inches in height above the table surface for a substrate which is roughly 2% feet square. It may also be mentioned here that the basic supporting surface 12 and substrate need not be horizontal although this is a practical condition for the employment of the method. In some of the more sophisticated machine embodiments, not shown, the substrate may be arranged at an angle or even vertically and the substrate could be mounted for movement relative to the explosive means or vice-versa in a more elaborate commercial embodiment.

Continuing to refer to the drawings, a supporting bar or handle element 14 is provided for placement beneath the substrate l0 and between the rails 13 and this bar may be adjusted and moved relative to the substrate as desired to control the location of the application of the decorative material thereto. The bar 14, for example, can be tilted or turned or elevated somewhat relative to the substrate to give variations in the ornamental surface design being created. The bar 14 is made long enough to be entirely safe to handle by the user. Other forms of support and manipulating means for the coloring material and explosive device may be employed and the bar 14 represents a single simplified embodiment. Likewise, other forms of support for the substrate 10 may be utilized including an overhead suspension means which would clear the entire downward facing area of the substrate. Gripping teeth or spikes could engage the side edges of the frame 11 to support the substrate, for example.

Referring to FIG. 2 in particular, an explosive device IS, such as an ordinary firecracker, is placed on the leading end of the manipulating bar 14 and a conglomerate mass 16 of surface decorating material is applied along the sides and over the top of the explosive device, as shown in FIG. 3. In effect, the material 16 may substantially enclose the explosive charge and will serve to fix the charge or firecracker upon the bar l4 so that it will not become displaced when the bar is moved by the user. The fuse 17 will remain exposed for convenient ignition.

The conglomerate mass 16 may be formed from various quantities 16' of semisolid pastelike oil paints of the type com monly employed by artists. The quantities 16' may be variously colored in any manner or all of the material may be of one or two colors only, if preferred. The coloring material should have a consistency roughly approximating that of a conventional toothpaste or cosmetic cream. It should have sufficient body to maintain a shape around the explosive device 15, as shown, but should be somewhat fiowable so that explosion of the device will project the material onto the substrate in a broad random pattern and the material will adhere to the substrate rather than rebounding therefrom as a solid material would tend to do. In addition to oil colors, certain ground or particulate solid coloring material may be utilized in a semisolid vehicle, for example, brown crayon and certain water coloring pigments and the like.

With the explosive device and coloring material arranged as shown, the fuse I7 is lit and the bar 14 is adjusted in the desired manner beneath the substrate 10 and the explosive device, such as a firecracker, will explode. The brisance of the ex losion being relatively high will disperse the coloring material upwardly and laterally from the surface of the bar 14 and project the same onto the substrate 10 as shown diagrammatically in H6. 4. The coloring material will impinge on the substrate with considerable force producing additional splattering and dispersing of the semisolid material and creating on the substrate a completely random and rather spectacular pattern 18. FIG. 5, which pattern or design or ornamentation will be unique and different for every use of the invention method. No matter how many decorative articles are produced in the described manner, each will have its own individuality and, in the case of a canvas, will appear to be an "original" hand painting." Due to the use of an explosion for applying the decorating material to the substrate, greater surface penetration and greater adhesion can be obtained in comparison to spraying, splashing or the like. The use 'of the brisance of an explosion is essential to the creation of the invention article and is the heart of the invention method, although variations in the particular coloring material and the apparatus components are contemplated.

it is believed that the invention and its advantages will now be readily understood without the need for further description.

lclaim:

l. A method of producing a decorative article comprising positioning a substrate in spaced relation to a mass of surface decorating material of a type which is at least somewhat nowable, and subjecting said decorating material to the direct force of an explosion to thereby forcefully project the material onto the substrate to produce a random decorative pattern thereon.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, and the additional step of arranging said mass of decorating material substantially around an explosive device and then exploding the device to project said material onto said substrate.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said decorating material consists of quantities of variously colored semisolid materials.

I! i i t 

2. A method as defined in claim 1, and the additional step of arranging said mass of decorating material substantially around an explosive device and then exploding the device to project said material onto said substrate.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said decorating material consists of quantities of variously colored semisOlid materials. 